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Liriano, bullpen pitch 6-hitter, Blue Jays beat Red Sox 3-0

TORONTO (AP) - Francisco Liriano and three relievers combined on a six-hitter, Darwin Barney hit a two-run single and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Pillar had three hits for the second straight game and stole two bases as the Blue Jays won for the third time this season and improved to 2-6 on their homestand.

Toronto scored three unearned runs in the second after Troy Tulowitzki reached leading off on a throwing error by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Tulowitzki took third and Russell Martin reached second on a fielding error by first baseman Mitch Moreland. Barney singled with one out, and Ezequiel Carrera had a two-out RBI single.

AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello (1-2) allowed six hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one.

Liriano (1-1) allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings. After consecutive singles to Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts, but Joe Biagini got Hanley Ramirez to ground into a double play.

Jason Grilli worked the eighth and Roberto Osuna finished for his first save.

Betts stuck out swinging in the fourth, snapping a streak of 129 plate appearances without a strikeout since he took a called third strike from Baltimore’s Oliver Drake on Sept. 12.

Boston’s Eduardo Rodriguez rejoined the team from paternity leave one day ahead of schedule and pitched one inning in his first big league relief appearance. Left-hander Brian Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for Rodriguez.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP David Price (strained elbow) threw at 120 feet on flat ground and is expected to throw off a mound in Baltimore on Friday.

Blue Jays: LHP J.P. Howell (shoulder) is expected to make a rehab appearance at Class A Dunedin on Thursday.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (1-1, 1.25) went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays last year, striking out 13 in 16 innings.

Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (0-1, 3.50) pitched seven shutout innings against Baltimore in his last start. He is 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 10 games against Boston.

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